Improvement in cotton-cultivators



W. W. GOLSAN.

Rotary Gultvator.

Patented Sept... 4, 1860.

UNTTED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

XV.' lV. GOLSAN, OF AUTAUGAVILLE, ALABAMA.

IMPROVEMENT lN COTTONGULTIVATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 29,877, dated September 4, 1860.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that l, \V. W. GOLSAN, of Autaugaville, in the county of Autauga and State ofAlabama, have invented a new and Improved Agricultural Implement, which may be termed a Cotton-Plant ThinningA and Uultivating Machine; 7 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ot' this specification.

Figure l is a side view of said machine; Fig. 2, a top view, and Fig. 3 a rear view, ot' the same.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in each of the drawings.

The frame of my improved machine for thinning out and cultivating cotton-plants may be constructed in the manner represented in the drawings, or in any other that may be deemed expedient.

A rectangular frame composed of the parallel longitudinal beams B B and the transverse end beams, C D, forms the main portion of the frame-work of said implement. The ends ofthe hindmost transverse beam, D, of said frame project a short distance beyond the side beams, B B, thereof, and those ends are securely combined with the central portions of the uprights F F. The forward ends of the shafts of the guiding-handles E E of said implement are combined with the outer sides of the frame-beams B B, and near their after ends the said handle-shafts are securely united to the upper ends ofthe uprights F F. The lower ends of the nprights F F are forked for the reception ot' the bearing-rollers g g.

A transverse beam, H, is securely bolted to the under side of the front transverse beam, C, of the aforesaid rectangular frame B B CD, and the two short beams G G, .which project rearwardly and incline outwardly from their connection with the said transverse beam H, are securely bolted to the under side of the' front portions of the frame-beams B B. An open three-sided frame, which is composed of the transverse beam K and the in wardly-nclinin g side beams, J J, is connected by means of hinges with the after ends of the beams G G; or the said frame may be hinged to the beams B B in case it should be deemed expedient to dispense with the beams G G and Hin constructing the frame otl said implement.

A slotted vertical plate, j, rises from the center ot' the beam K close by the after side ofthe beam D of the frame BB C D, and by means ot` the screw 7c, which passes through the slot in the said plate j into the said beam D, the rear end of the frame K J J can be secured in any de sired position.

Metallic ears i are secured to thcoutersides of' the aforesaid beams J J, and descenda short distance below the same, which ears are perforated for the reception of the handles ff of the laterally-reciprocating hoes L h, as shown in the drawings.

The shank m of cultivator-point L is secured by means of suitable fastenings to the central portions ot' the beams C and H and the front end of the machine, and immediately in the rear of the said cultivator-point a large driving-wheel, A,r is placed', the shaft n of said wheel working in journal-boxes which are secured to the under side ot' the frame-beamsB B.

An annular series of teeth, p, project laterally from each-side of the arms or disk of the driving-wheel A, which series of teeth gear into the teeth of the pinions b b on the front ends of the parallel crank-shafts a a, whose journal-boxes are supported by lugs c c, that project from the innersides of the frame-beams BB, all as represented by Fig. 2 ot' the drawings. shafts a a are connected to the inner ends ot' the hoe-handles f f through the medium of the arms e e, as shown in Fig. 3. lt will therefore be perceived that the rotation of the drivingwheel A will impart a series of laterally-reciprocating movements to the hoes h h. By placing the cranks d d in the proper positions before attaching them to the arms e e on the inner ends of the hoe-handles the hoes will gradually ascend during their outward movements and gradually descend during their inward movements.

I contemplate using the hoes h 7L in the first place for the purpose of thinning out the supcriuous cotton-plants in the tield-rows-an operation well known to all cotton-planters, and one by which only such a number of cotton-plants are left standing in the rows as can be judiciously cultivated 3 and to do this I em- The cranks d d on the after ends of the ploy sharp hoes of the proper width and combine them With handles whose length bears such a relationv to the distance between the rows of cotton-plants to be operated upon as will enable the said hoes to perform the Work required of them. I next use the reciprocating hoes h h for cultivating purposes, or for the purpose of drawing the earth up to the sides of the standing cotton-plants, and for performing this function it may perhaps be advisable to use hoes of a different shape from thoseemployed for thinning out the cotton-plants, andthe said cultivating-hoes will also requirelonger handles than are furnished to the thinningout loes.

Instead of the rollers gg at the lower ends of the uprights F F, it may be expedient to sometimes combine cultivator-points with said uprights.

The adjustabilily of the hinged frame KJJ enables the operator to canse the hoes h h to descend to any desired depth into the ground. The action of the said hoes may also be varied by varying tliele-ngth of the cranks d d. When the said machine is employed for thinning-ont purposes in a cotton-held the front cultivatorpoint, L, serves the purpose of forming a clear and distinct guiding -path for the drivingwheel to run in, which guards the machine against lateral vibrations and insures perfect steadiness of movement.

I do not intend to limit the employment ot' my said improved agricultural implement to coLton-iields, as it may be found to Work admirably well as a corn-cultivator and for varions other purposes.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The arrangement of the cultivator-point L and the central driving-wheel, A, with the crank-shafts a a, the laterally-acting hoes h h, andthe uprights F F, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

W. 'W. GOLSAN.

Witnesses Z. C. ROBBINs, RmvDoLPrrv CoYLE, Jr. 

